Toothbrush



May 5, 1931. R. A. BRocKELsBY TOOTHBRUSH 'Filed Dec. 23, 1929 Patented May 5, 1931 UNITED STATES RALP A. BROCKELSBY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO TOOT'IIIBRUSH Application fired December 23, 1929. serial No. 416,064.

This invention has to do with toothbrushes.

The object of the invention is to provide a toothbrush which may be readily carried in the pocket` of the user without danger of wetting the garment, and which will permit drying of the brush after use, and while in the pocket of the user. Morer particularly, my invention contemplates the provision Vof a handle portion and a brush portion, the handle portionbeing of sufficient length to provide proper grip by the hand in the operation of'brushing the teeth and having at one end a bore in which the brush is adapted to be received. The'wall of the bore is so constructed that, when the brush is in position therebetweemthe airholes are disposed on opposite sides of the bristles to facilitate drying of the bristles.` The walls are furf ther provided `with lguides which assure the proper positioning of the bristles with ree spect to the airholes and at the same time prevent movement of the brush in the handle.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, certain other novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts will become apparent as the description of the invention proceeds.

For a full and morev complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved combination toothbrush ready for use, the handle member being broken away to show the interior construction thereof.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 with the parts in collapsed condition.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken approximately in the plane indicated by the line 3-3 in Figure 2.

Figure l is a bottom plan view of the brush member per se.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 but is taken approximately in the plane indicated by the line 5 5 of Figure 2.

Vhile a preferred specific embodiment of my invention is herein set forth, it is to be understood that I am not to be limited to the exact constructions illustrated and described, because various modicatons of these details may be provided in puttingthe Ainvention into practice within the purview ofthe appended claims.

My improved combination toothbrush comy prises 'a handle member landa brush mem- 5'5 ber 2. The handle member lis provided with a bore 3 adapted to house the larger portion of the brush 2. The open end ofthe member 1 has a gradual taper at tand the handle v f portion 5 of the brush 2 is oppositely tapered '6b at 6.-7 from, its center 8, the degree of inclination being substantially that of the portion 4 of the handle member 1. The diameter of the center portion 8 is sufficiently greater thanthat'of the bore 3 to prevent the passage 65 of said central portion therethrough. As stated, the taper of the parts is very gradual so that when the parts are interengaged, a snug tight titis provided. It is; thus apparent that with the partsassociated asillns- 70 trated in Figurel, the handle member l may be-engaged by the hand of the user and the bristles 9 applied firmly to the teeth. The same fit is provided in the case of Figure 2 wherein thepartsare in collapsed condition to thereby prevent accidental removall ofthe parts fromeach other.Y

The bristle base 10 Vof the brush member 2 isV provided with a rounded nose 11. The wall of the bore 3 has diametrically opposed so thickened portions 12 having tapered outer extremities which converge to a line at 13.

AThe longitudinal edges 14 of the enlarged `portions 12 are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the width ofthe base fdiametrically opposed. It is thus apparent thatwith the base 10 of the brushy member f l disposed in one, of the' grooves. 15 asV illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 5, the holes 16 will 100 provide for a current of air across the bristles 9 to thereby expedite the drying thereof.

The portion 5 is provided at its extremities with a finger grip 17, by means of which, as seen in Figure 2, removal of the brush member from the bore 3 is facilitated.

It is thus apparent that I have provided a two-piece toothbrush which is compact both when ready for service and when collapsed for disposition in the pocket of the user.

The handle and brush members are made of Celluloid or similar material, and the tapered end of the handle compartment is flexible to more readily and firmly grip the brush member.

The bristles are sufficiently long to eiiicient-ly brush the teeth of the user and, when disposed in the compartment, the free ends thereof engage the wall of the compartment. As heretofore pointed out, the bristles are held against rotation in the compartment by reason of the bristle base being disposed in one of thel grooves 15. In brushes of the compartment type at present in use, the brush is movable in the compartment, with the result that continued catching of the bristles in the air holes has the effect of breaking the bristle structure to thereby render the latter unfit for efficient brushing of teeth. With my construction, it is impossible for the bristles to engage or catch in the air holes at any time, so that the life of the brush is in no way lessened by reason of the same being housed in the compartment.

In addition to the above, it is noted that the provision of holes all over the compartment is not only unnecessary with my construction, but by elimination of a large number of such holes I reduce the cost of `manufacture to a minimum.

While I have described the compartment structure as embodying longitudinal ribs 12, I consider it well within the province of my invention to utilize any other means which will provide reception for the bristle base so that the bristles are disposed intermediate the sets of air holes.

Moreover, the gripping portions of the brush member and compartment may, if desired, have any geometrical shape other than that shown. I may also omit the taper of the grip portion of the compartment and still provide a firm grip between it and the handle portion of the brush member. Or, the brush handle portion taper may be omitted.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. In a toothbrush of the class described, a brush member having an enlarged cylindrical head tapered portion, a handle member provided with a hollow portion into which the brush member is adapted to be snugly enclosed when not in use, oppositely disposed portions of the inner walls of the hollow portion of the handle member being thickened to form ribs, the ribs defining between them oppositely disposed duplicate grooves for the reception of the brush member, either of the grooves being adapted to receive and to snugly engage the back of the brush member, the opposing groove forming a clearance space for the bristles of the brush and a longitudinal series of diametrically opposed air holes through the thickened portions of the said hollow handle member.

2. In a toothbrush of the class described, a brush member comprising a bristle base with bristles mounted therein to form a brush, the brush member having an enlarged cylindrical head tapered portion, a handle member provided with a hollow portion into which the brush member is adapted to be snugly enclosed when not in use, the inner walls of the hollow portion of the handle member being thickened to form ribs, the ribs having converging outer extremities, the ribs defining between them oppositely disposed duplicate grooves for the reception of the brush member, either of the said grooves being adapted to receive and to snugly engage the bristle base of the brush member, the opposing groove forming a clearance space for the bristles of the brush, the bristle base being provided with a rounded nose for engaging the converging ends of the ribs for guidance thereby into a position wherein the bristle base is aligned with one of the grooves and will be positioned in the groove, and a. longitudinal series of diametrically opposed air holes extending transversely through the thickened portions of the hollow handle member.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

RALPH A. BRO CKELSBY. 

